Ahobilam Divya Desam Yathrai !

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SriMathe Ramanujaya Namaha:

Sri Venkata Gurave Namaha:

Acharyan Thiruvadigale Saranam:

 

angkaNNYaalamancha angkOraaLariyaay avuNan

pongkavaagamvaLLugiraal pOzhnNdhapunidhanidam,

paingkaNaanaikkombukoNdu patthimaiyaal, adikkeezhch

chengkaNaaLiyittiRaiNYchum singkavELkunRamE.......

 

.......sengkaNaaLIyittiRainchum singkavELkunRudaiya,

engkaLeesanembiraanai irunNdhamizhnNooRpulavan,

mangkaiyaaLanmannutholseer vaNdaRai thaarkkaliyan,

sengkaiyaaLan sencholmaalai vallavartheedhilarE

 

The above pasurams (1 and 10) of Sri Thirumangai

Azhwar's Mangalasasanam to Sri Narashimar, Ahobilam.

 

Meaning: The Azhwar says Perumal who resides in

Singavel Kunram is our master. He is our saviour. The

Lord is seen as incomparable.

 

Ugram, Veeram, Mahavishnum, Jwalantham,

Sarvathomukam, Nrisimham Beeshanam

Badram mrutyo mrutyum Namamyaham.

 

This Anushtup mantra mentions the nine forms of

Narashimar i.e. Nava Narashima. They are Ugra (angry)

Veera (fighting), Mahavishnu (Lakshminarashima),

Jwalanatha (figure emitting flames), Sarvathomukha

(Narashimar with number of faces), Narashima (ordinary

Narashima avatara), Bheeshana (frightful), Bhadra

(terrible), Mrutyo mrutyu (killer of death).

 

Dear members of the esteemed group,

 

Adiyen had bhagyam to go to Ahobilam on 26-27th of

this month. It was a lifetime experience. Before

brefing, I would personally like to say, if anyone has

not been to this place yet, please make it possilbe to

go very soon becuase it is very difficult to see all

nava narashimas and especially Ugra Sthambam.

 

I have been told by many people, Ahobilam is one of

the most difficult divya desams to travel. As expected

it's only due to his Anugraham one can see all forms

of Narashimar. Otherwise I really doub't people above

age of 40 or say 50 can make it possible to go till

Ugra Sthambam (The place where perumal originated from

the Pillar)

 

Adiyen started from hyderabad with my brother Suresh

along with 3 other friends on 26th (saturday) early

morning at 3:00 am by car and reached ahobilam at 9:30

in the morning. Took room at Ahobila Matam, had bath

and breakfast. Started from Chinna Ahobilam at 11:00

am accompanied by a local guide (rama krishna).

 

Here is the serial order of Narashimar's:

 

1. KARANJA NARASIMHA SWAMY

This shrine is situated at a distance of one kilometre

from the Upper Ahobilam and one furlong from the road

leading to Lower Ahobilam. The image of the deity is

installed under a tree, called 'Karanja Vruksham'.

Hence this Lord is called Karanja Narasimha Swamy.

>From here we went to Upper Ahobilam, parked car and

started trucking towards Ugra Sthambam.

 

2. MALOLA NARASIMHA SWAMY

Nearly two kilometres from the main temple of Upper

Ahobilam, is the famous shrine of Malola Narasimha

Swamy. The deity here appears in 'soumya' (graceful)

form. As Lord Narasimha is seen with his consort,

Lakshmi, He is known as Malola Narasimha Swamy. The

word 'Malola' means beloved to Lakshmi (Ma=Lakshmi,

Lola= beloved). It is said that the 'utsavamoorthi' of

the Lord appeared to Srimath Adivan Satakopa Jeeyar,

the first Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt. Right from the

founder, i.e., the first Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt down

to the 44th pontiff, Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedanta

Desika Yatheendra Mahadesika, the present jeeyar, the

utsavamoorthi of Malola Narasirnha Swamy is worshipped

and it is taken by them whenever they are on religious

tours, visiting the villages every year. Recently, the

45th Jeeyar Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatheendra

Mahadesikan has taken over the worship.

 

3. PRAHALADA METTU

The small shrine, situated in a cave on the hill, is

in between Ugra Sthambham and the Upper Ahobilam. It

is dedicated to Prahlada Narashimha Swamy. The image

of the Prahlada is installed in a small cave.

 

4. UGRA STHAMBHAM

(This is the most difficult place for one to reach) At

a distance of eight kilometres from the Upper Ahobilam

temple, we can see a cleft of the mountain dividing it

into two visible parts. It is a long-held view that

from the cleft, the Lord appeared in the form of

Narasimha and this cleft is known as 'Ugra Sthambham'.

 

5. JWALA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple of Jwala Nrisimha Swamy, lies higher up the

above temple, on a hill called, 'Achalachaya Meru'.

This is about four kilometres from the Upper Ahobilam

temple. This place is said to be the actual spot,

where the fierce anger of the Lord reached its

culmination when he tore Hiranyakasipu. (Performed

thirumanjanam to Perumal here)

 

6. KRODAKARA (VARAHA) NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple of this Lord is one kilometre away from the

main temple of Ahobila Nrisimha Swamy on the Upper

Ahobilam. The image of the deity has the face of a

boar (varaha or kroda) and the Lord is seen along with

his Consort, Lakshmi. Hence the Lord of the temple is

known as Krodakara (Varaha) Narasimha Swamy here.

 

7. SRI RAMANUJAR SANNADHI

The shrine dedicated to Sri Ramanajuar it very close

from Varaha Narasimha Swamy temple.

 

8. AHOBILA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple, situated on the Upper Ahobilam, at a

distance of eight kilometres from the Lower Ahobilam,

is the main temple and the earliest of all the nine

temples there. The Lord here appears in his fierce

aspect, called Ugra Narasimha, who is the presiding

deity of the temple and is known as Ahobila Nrisimha

Swamy. It is firmly believed the Lord Narasimha was

'Svayambhu' (self-manifest) here.

 

9. CHATRAVATA NARASIMHA SWAMY

About three kilometres from lower Ahobilam, the image

of the deity is installed under a peepal tree,

surrounded by thorny bushes. Hence, the Lord is called

as Chatravata Narasimha Swamy.

 

10. YOGANANDA NARASIMHA SWAMY

This temple is to the south-east of Lower Ahobilam at

a distance of 2 kilometres. The popular legend is that

after killing Hiranyakasipu, Lord Narasimha taught

Prahlada several yogic postures. Therefore, the Lord

in this aspect is called Yogananda Narasimha.

 

Night came back to room at 8:30 pm after having food.

(The day was very tiring all of us were totally

exhausted and slept by 9 pm)

 

27th (sunday) morning woke up at 5:00 am had bath and

were ready by 6:30 am. By then the Guide arrived to

take us to remaining shrines. Started from room at

6:45 am.

 

11. BHARGAVA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The Bhargava Narasimha Swamy is situated at a distance

of two kilometres from the Lower Ahobilam, on a hill,

near the sacred pond, known as 'Bhargava Theertham',

where Bhargava Rama performed his penance. Hence the

Lord of the temple is known as Bhargava Narasimha

Swamy.

 

12. PAVANA NARASIMHA SWAMY

Nearby to the Lakshmi Narashimar temple at lower

Ahobilam, is the shrine of Pavana Narasimha. People

say visiting this temple and have darsanam of Uthsavar

(Pavana Narashimar) at lower Ahobilam is equalent to

visiting the temple which is 6 kms above Upper

Ahobilam.

 

13. LOWER AHOBILAM (LAKSHMI NARASHIMAR)

The temple surrounded by three prakaras in the Lower

Ahobilam is dedicated to Prahlada Varada i.e., the

Lord whose grace bestows on Prahlada.

 

By this we were able to cover all Narashimar's. Had

taken some good photographs, if interested I will scan

and upload on site.

 

Stared from Ahobilam at 10:30 am and back to hyderabad

at 5:00 pm in the evening.

 

The above sources I had taken from

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/ website. My sincere thanks

to Ahobila mutt site, whose information was very much

useful.

 

Though I had already been to 97 divya desams prior to

Ahobilam. This divya desam experience is unique by

itself.

 

(NOTE: If there are any errors it only due to my

ignorance and misconception, please pardon and correct

me.)

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,

 

K.M. Shantha Kumar.

 

http://www15.brinkster.com/mudaliandan/

 

 

 

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